


New beginnings

by journeythroughtherain



Series: Winteriron Week 2019 [6]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Forgiveness, Friendship, Gen, Healing, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), both of oneself and of others, ignores everything after CACW, or the possible beginning of one, they're working on it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-01
Updated: 2019-08-01
Packaged: 2020-07-29 00:44:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20073346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/journeythroughtherain/pseuds/journeythroughtherain
Summary: Because sometimes, recovery takes more than time.For day 7 of Winteriron Week





	New beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> For day 7 of Winteriron Week:  
_New Beginnings / “Move in with me.” / Recovering Together_
> 
> Doubles as fills for the following bingo squares:  
TSB A3 - Free Square  
BBB K5 - Just do it

"Move in with me."

"What?" James must've heard wrong. There's no way Tony Stark, Iron Man, the guy whose parents he murdered had just asked him to _move in with him_.

"I'm serious," Stark continues, probably seeing the disbelief in James' face. 

"But... Why?" James can't help but ask. He's already imposing on the man just living here, in the compound with the rest of the Avengers. Moving into the former Avengers Tower—now once again Stark Tower—is entirely too much. 

"I've kept an eye on this place, Barnes, and from what I've seen, you," he gestures to James, "are not thriving. At all."

"I don't need to be thriving, I just need to be functional," James retorts, feeling a bit put off by Stark’s assessment. He manages just fine. He's keeping in shape and makes sure he's well rested for every mission, for the best possible performance.

"See, that's the kind of talk that would have my therapist give me a _look_. And I know yours would too, if you had one." He gives James a pointed look of his own at that.

"I don't... I can handle things fine on my own," James says, breaking eye contact. He knows the expenses getting a therapist entails, and he also knows who would foot the bill for it all. He really doesn't want to be more of a burden on Stark than he already is.

He looks back to see Stark's eyes have softened just a bit, and realizes he must've said that last bit out loud.

"You, Barnes, are not a burden, not to me and not to my finances. But this one of the reasons why I want you to move into the Tower for a while. Give Avenging a rest for a bit."

"Quit avenging?"

"Yes," Tony continues. "Tell me, do you even _like_ fighting?"

"I..." James feels lost. Fighting, avenging, that's what he's _good_ at. It's his way of paying back for what he's done, for every life he has taken. He'll never be rid of the guilt, but he owes it to the world to try to make up for his past in anyway he can. Doesn't he? "I don't know."

"Then that's a good reason to take a break from it. I'm not saying you'll be kicked off the team if you come with me, I'm just saying a bit of distance and perspective—and a therapist—might help you find out the answer to that question."

It... Sounds almost tempting, when Stark put it like that, but there's something holding him back still.

"What about you?"

Stark frowns. "What about me?"

"Will you be okay? With... With me being so close?"

James haven't seen much of Stark since they came back, and while he seems okay in his presence now, the last time they had any significant interaction, it didn't go _well_, to put it lightly.

Stark sighs, and looks away. It's a minute before he answers. 

"Honestly... That's one of the other reasons for me offering this. In here," he taps a finger to his head, "I know perfectly well that the blame of what happened is in no way on your shoulders. I've thought it through. I've come to terms with it, and any resentment of mine belongs to those who deserve it—HYDRA. In here, however," he taps at his chest, "I don't feel it quite yet. And I believe part of the reason why is that all my experiences with you so far... Well, they haven't ended pleasantly." 

Stark grimaces, his finger tapping a rhythm on his sternum where the arc reactor on his suit sits. James remembers digging his fingers into the casing, trying to eliminate the threat, going for the presumed weak point of the armor. It was only later he had learned Stark's history, and how the reactor used to power more than just the suit. He doesn't blame Stark for his reaction at all, and still finds it incredible some days that he even left that fight alive, instead of just one arm down.

"So, I was thinking, how do I fix this? How do I teach my heart what my mind already knows?" Stark asks, though James is pretty sure he's not meant to answer. Just as well, as he has no idea how.

"Thing is, if I'm hesitating because I have only bad memories to rely on, then it stands to reason that the hesitation might disappear if I give it cause to."

Stark hesitates a bit before continuing, "If, say, I had some better memories to base my opinion of you on. And I won't get those if you're stuck in here, and I'm all the way over at the tower."

He chuckles, but it sounds... Off. Almost sad, to James' ears. 

"So yeah, there's definitely a selfish side to it all, but it's me, what did you expect."

If there was one word James would describe Tony Stark as, it would definitely _not_ be selfish. Self_less_, perhaps. Determined. Generous, and kind-hearted. But selfish? Not in a million years. Looking at Stark standing there, having just offered his home and his _heart_ to someone he has every reason in the world to hate, James wonders how anyone could have thought of using that word to describe him. 

Well. If Stark only wants this one thing from him, if this is all he's asking for in return for all he's done for James? Then James is going to give it to him. He's going to give Stark the best memories he possibly can, so he can heal the last of the pain James has caused him. He owes him that.

"... Yes, I'll move in with you."

The smile that meets him is blinding.


End file.
